Percussion-fuse.



No. 829,361. P ATBNTED AUG. 211 1906. ,11. WILSON @E A. Y. LEBGH, JB.

PERCUSSION FUSE.

uPmoA'rrolr FILED 1mm 1o. wos.

' le la@ Y qsqmiggg?? w *J* JE /W 3g fg??? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY WILSON AND ABNER Y. LEEUH, JR., OF WASIIING'IOINI` DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNORS TO UNITED STATES ORDNANCE COMPANY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A CORPORATION OF VIRCrIlIA.`

PERCUSSION-FUSE.

l Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Aug. 21, `1906.

Application illed Jima 10, 1906. Serial No. 264,5 D0.

To @ZL whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY WILSON and ABNER Y. LEEoii, Jr., citizens of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Percussion- Fuses, of which the following is a specification.

Our iriveritionrelatcs to that class of fuses for ex losive projectiles in which the ercussion e ement is released by centrifuga force, such as is due to the rotation of the projectile in flight when tired from a rifled gun.V

In handling projectiles in which fuses are mounted the fuse may be rendered inoperative by a drop of the projectile upon a protruding object, such as a bolt-head, so that a contact is produced with the exposed portion of the fuse, such contact producing a longitudinal deformation of the fuse and a resulting undue disarrangement of the elements thereof, whereby an ino erative state of the fuse is produced either y premature explosion, premature arming, or by rendering same inca able of arming under service conditions. t is the object of our invention to provide means for preventing the rendering of the fuse' inoperative from any of the before-mentioned causes as a result of the above-described deformation of the fuse.

Broadly, the object of our invention is to simplify and improve the structure and operation of percussion-fuses, to. insure greater safety in handling the projectiles, and cer-' tainty in exploding the shell after it strikes ythe target.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and described.

In describing the invention in detail refer- ;ence will be had to the accompanying drawj'ings, which form part of this s eci'fication and wherein like characters of re erence indicate corresponding parts in the several views, and in which-- i Figure l is a artial longitudinal section of our improved use; Fig. 2, a section on the line a a of Fig. 1;Fig. 3, a view similar to Fig. 2, the guard being in its expanded or armed position Fig. 4, a partial longitudinal section of a fra nient of the fuse on the line b b of Oisa Fi 2, and Fig. 5 a transverse section of the sa sty-guard.

In the drawings. A represents the fusestook, which is provided1 with the shoulders A and A"I in its chamber. Secured in the fuse-stock with suitable threads and having its outer face registering with the shoulder A2 n rimer-plug B. The inner face of the plug is plrovided centrally with the projection B', W ich forms a seat for the rimer B2.

A channel B3 leads from the primer-seat through the plug B for the purpose of conveying the primer-Hash f to the magazine formed in the forward end of the stock between tlie outer face of the priii'ier-plug and a disk C, which closes the open end of the fusestocli.

A firing-hammer D, provided with a firingpoint D, is normally situated in the chamber of the fuse-stock between the rear wall of said chamber and the shoulder A. A centrifugally-operated safety-guard is situated between the tiring-herinner and the primerplug and normally holds the lii'iiig-haiiimer against forward movement. Said safetyguard is formed of the segmental members E and E', which are normally held together, so that their straight surfaces abut,by means of the spring-actuated bolts E and E, the bolt E2 being rigidly secured to the member E, while the bolt E3 is rigidly secured to the member E', both of said bolts protruding at right angles to the straight surface of the member to which they are riffidly secured. The member E is provided with an aperture E4, adapted to receive the bolt Eof the member E', while said member E is provided with a like aperture E5, adapted to receive the bolt E. The apertures E* and E5 are counterbored, so as to form the. shoulders .EB and E", respectively. A spiral sprin Ea 1s 1nterposed between the head of the bo t and the shoulder E", and another spring E 1s 1nterposed between the shoulder lE? and the head of the bolt E, the coaction of said spriii s ES and E" with the head of the bolt E andt ie shoulder l" and with the head of the bolt E2 and the shoulder l7 res ectively serving to compress the nimiibers t and E', so that their straight surfaces abut'. By the arrangement o'f the bolts Ef and E on theopposite sides of the short axis of the'guerd any relative movement of the members Il and l1.

trudes therefrom, so as other than a transverse movement parallel to the transverse axis of the fuse is prevented. The members E and E 'are recessed at the front and rear to form the flanges E*o E and E12 E, res ectively. Recesses E and El5 are formed 1n the members E and E, res ccf tively, and are adapted to register at t eir open ends when the guard is in its normal position to form a longitudinal aperture in said guard which envelo sthe firin -point D.

Driving-pins B* and 5 are rigi ly secured to the primer-plug B and enter the recesses E3 and E", respectively, which are formed in the forward end of the guard at the termina tion of its long axis, a part of each member of the guard being cut awayf to form said recesses. lt will thus be obvious that were the guard mounted without engagement with a portion of the fuse which immediately partakes of the full rotation of the shell it would tend to remain at rest inde endent o'said rotation, and the members E would fail to move transversely with the desired promptness. By the construction shown, however, the ull rotation of the shell will be imparted at once to the members E E and the engagement between the surfaces of the recesses El". and E17 and the driving-pins B* and B5, respectively, operating against the tendency of the members to remain at rest will cause a prompt initial transverse movement of said members.

To obviate an undue disarrangement of the firing-hammer resulting from the deformation of the fuse by dropping same mounted in a projectile `on a protruding object, we provide a lead plug D3, which is secured centrally in the rear of the firing-hammer in a suitable manner. Said plug is of a diameter less than that of the firing-hammerand proto separate therear end of the hammer and the rear Wall of the fuse-chamber. It will be apparent, in view of the fact that the lead plug is' of a greater degree of softness than either the metal corn,- prisin the fuse-stock or the firing-hammer, that s iould a deformation of the fuse-stock take place from causes heretofore mentioned same will be Without effect on the firinghammer, because of the interposition of the lead plu which will readily mash and expand ra ially and prevent the transmission of the effect of such deformation to the firinghammer or saetyard.

lt will be note that While we have described and shown a articular means for preventing the transmission of the effect of the deformation of the fuse-stock to the firing-hammer We do not limit ourselves thereto, as various other means may be employed for accomplishing this purpose Without departing from the scope of ourinvention.

We claim- 1. In a non-pressure fuse the combination of a casing having mounted in the chamber thereof, a primer, a firing-hammer, securing means normally holding the firing-hammer in safe position and means permitting a lonltudinal deformation of the casing Without isarranging the elements of the fuse or destroying their function.

2. In a non-pressure fuse the combination of a casing having mounted in the chamber thereof, a primer, a firing-hammer, securing means normally holding the firing-hammer in safe position and compressible means permitting a longitudinal deformation of the casing without disarrangingthe elements of the fuse or destroying their notion.

In a non-pressure fuse the combination of a casing having mounted in the chamber thereof, a primer, a firing-hammer, securing means normally holding the firing-hammer in safe position and a compressible member permitting a longitudinal defamation of the use -casing Wit out disarrangin the elements of the fuse or destroying t eir function.

4. In a non-pressure fuse the combination of a casing having mounted in the chamber thereof, a primer, a firing-bammer,'securing means normally holdingthe firing-hammer in safe position and a compressible metal member ermitting a longitudinal deformaL tion of tle easing without disarrangin the elements of the fuse or destroying their unction.

5. In a ereussion-use the combination of a casing aving mounted in the chamber thereof, a primer, a firing-hammer, securing means operated independently of the pressure of the powder-gases normallylocking the firing-hammer in safe position and eompressible means ermitting a longitudinal deformation of t e casin Without dsarrangxing the elements of the fguse or destroying t eir function.

. 6. In a ercussion-use the combination of acasing iiaving mounted in the chamber thereof, a primer, a firing-hammer, securing means operated independently of the pressure of the powder-gases normally locking the firing-hammer in safe position and means permittin a longitudinal deformation of the casing wit out isarranging the elements of the fuse or destroying their unction.

7. In a ereussion-fuse the combination of a casing iaving mounted in the chamber thereof, a primer, a firing-hammer, securing means operated independently of the ressure of the powder-gases normally lodlcing the firing-hammer in safe position and a com pressible member permitting a longitudinal deformation of the casing without dlsarrang'- ing the elements .of the fuse or destroying their function.

8. In a percussion-fuse the vcombination of l a casing aving mounted in the chamber thereof, a primer, a firing-hamm` l.securing means operated independently dgthe pres` sure of the powder-gases normally locking the firing-hammer in safe position and a compressible metal member permitting a longitudinal deformation of the casing without dis1 arranging the elements ofthe fuse or destroy ing their function.

9.` In a percussion-fuse, the combination of a casing, a primer, a firing-hammer and a centrifugally-released safety-guard normally holdin the firing-hammer in safe position, said sa etynard comprisin se mentalmembers each o which has, a bo t rigidly secured thereto and loosely penetrating `the other member and springs enacting with said bolts and members to move said members toward each other. l

10. In a percussion-fuse, the combination of a'casin a primer, a firing-hammer and a centrifuga ly-released safety-guard normally holding the firing-hammer in safe position, said sa etyuard comprising segmental members each 0% which has a bolt rigidly secured thereto and loosely penetratin the other member above and below the's ort axis of the guard respectively and springs coactin with said bolts and members to move said members toward each other.

11A In a percussion-fuse, the combination of a casin a primer, a iring-hammer and a centrifuga ly-released safety-guard normally holdin the ring-hammer in safe position,

said sa ety-guard comprising segmental members norma y held together by yielding connections situated above and below the short axis of the guard.

12. In'a percussion-fuse, the combination of a casin f, a primer, a firing-hammer and a centrifuga ly-released safety-guard normally holdin the firing-hammer in safe position, said saile ty-guard comprising'segmentalmemof a casing bers, yielding connections above and below the short axis of the guard normally holding the members together and reventing any independent movement of tlie members other than a transverse movement in opposite di- ;ections parallel to the transverse axis ofthe use.

13. In a percussion-fuse, the combination of a casing, a plug car ing a primer, a. ring-hammer, centrifugal -released securing means normally holding the firing-hammer in safe positi'on and means carried by the primer-plug ada ted to coact with the securing means after ischarge to assist the unlocking of said securing means.

14. In a ercussion-fuse the combination of a casingl aving mounted in the chamber thereof, a primer, a firing-hammer and a complete securing means normally holding the firing-hammer in safe position and means permitting a lon itudinal deformation of the casin Without isarranging any portion of the e ements of the fuse or destroying their function.

15. In a ercussion-fuse the combination iiaving mounted in the chamber thereof, a primer, a iiring-ham'mer and a comlrete securing means normally holding the ing-hammer in safe position and a compressible metal member permitting a longitudinaldeformation of the easin Without disarrangin any portion of the e ements of the fuse or estroying their function.

In testimony whereof We aflix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

` HARRY WILSON.

ABN ER Y. LEECH, JR.

Witnesses:

HENRY T. BRIGHT, FRANK S. APPLMAN. 

